Shin Shoryu
by Blue Harbinger
Summary: A hero has fallen. A path of blood and broken bodies are left in his wake. His back turned to his friends. All that matters is the fight. Redemption? He cares not for it
1. A Desparate Plea

This is my very first fanfic so criticize as you see fit. I can only get better...I hope.(Nervous chuckle)

Disclaimer:All characters and other things associated with Street Fighter are property of CAPCOM

ChapterOne:A Desperate Plea

It was dark and ominous. The sky had taken an especially sinister tinge of a deep red color. The color of blood. One person,however,was not detoured from her mission which led her to this island. Her eyes burned with conviction as she peered deep into the lush jungles of this mysterious place."It would be such a beautiful place if it weren't tainted by that dark power..."the young woman thought to herself. Steeling her resolve,she began to walk deeper into the tainted and strangely twisted jungle. After what seemed like forever,the young woman began to hear a voice that seemed to emanate from nowhere and everywhere at once"The true warrior...enters the arena...with all his power at the ready..."The woman was not afraid."You don't know what true power is!"she screamed."It's...you..."the voice said half amused. The woman could hear laughter now."Why have you come here woman?There is nothing here but death..."Closing her eyes,the woman saw images of who this voice belonged to. Or rather,who he used to be."Ryu...I...I only want to help you!"the woman's eyes opened filled with tears."Please!I tried to save you then,but I couldn't...I'd like to save you now...but I can't if you won't let me..."no matter how she tried,Chun Li could not stop her tears from falling. The voice simply replied,"...Save me?...You cannot save me...,"Chun Li's determination had started to waiver."You cannot even save yourself."and with that,the voice now had it's owner.

Standing before her was the twisted form of the man she loved. eyes burning with murderous intent. Again he spoke,"If you have not come to fight me...**leave me**!"he demanded. Chun Li's tears were plentiful now."Ryu...**Please**!If I ever meant anything to you then please...**Please** let me help you!"she cried desperately. Ryu's eyes widened. His murderous rage started to shake the island now. Yet,Chun Li had not taken her eyes off of him. The two just stared at one another. After a few moments,Ryu walked to her. Taking Chun Li in his arms,he whispered to her"There is no turning back for me...no redemption."Despite being overcome by the Satsui No Hadou, Chun Li still loved evidently,he still loved her. Suddenly,a surge of pain rushed through her entire body and she began to blackout. Before she lost consciousness,she could see Ryu's eyes,only for a brief moment,revert to the kind and gentle eyes she fell in love with."...not beyond saving..."she whispered as she slipped into unconsciousness.

San Francisco...

Staring out up at the sky on the verandah of his large,luxurious home,Ken Masters' thoughts returned to one of,if not the worst,day of his life. The day he lost his best friend. Closing his eyes,Ken recalled that day. The same place where Gouken-Sensei and his brother,Gouki,had their final battle on that day.

Somewhere in Osaka,3 months ago...

It was dark. A storm had been hitting them hard for over an hour now."Rose!"exclaimed Ken,"He's getting worse!"Her back turned to him,Rose had been afraid of this for quite some time. Ryu was strong but,so was his link to the curse within his blood. The Satsui No Hadou."Ken..."she started"...We may have to prepare for the worst. This is a critical time for he allows the Murderous Intent to overcome him..."Ken had heard enough,"No!I will NOT take part in the murder of my best friend!"Rose sighed."Ken,listen to me...Ryu's soul is what is at stake. The Murderous Intent is a malevolent power that corrupts the heart and slowly poisons the soul."Ken gasped as Rose continued,"When his soul is completely corrupted,it is then destroyed...And the Ryu that we know...will be nothing more than a demon...""Just like Gouki..."Ken finished. Sighing,Rose walked past Ken and headed for the door."I will do what I can,however,this is an internal battle that Ryu will have to fight alone..."and with that, she walked out into the hallway.

Meanwhile,In another area of the dojo...

Ryu had been put in a psychic sedation of sorts by Rose. Chun Li rested his head on her lap,wiping gently at his sweating brow with a wet cloth. He looked peaceful now. It was hard to imagine that he was suffering so terribly just seconds ago."Why is this happening to you?"she inquired to herself as she moved Ryu's bangs to the side of his face. His hair had grown since she saw him last."Ryu..."she said as he began to stir. She touched his lips."Come back to us...You have to..."Tears began to fall from her eyes,"Please Ryu...come back...to me."Chun Li's lips moved slowly to his. She could feel his light breathing on her lips as she tenderly closed the distance. Chun Li kissed Ryu passionately. I loved him,she thought."I've always loved him."It wasn't until recently that he told her of his feelings for her. She had been so surprised by his straight forwardness."I don't know what these feelings mean Chun Li,but i know what my heart wants."Those were his words. Reluctantly separating,Chun Li gently touched Ryu's cheek. However,something was wrong. Ryu's complexion had darkened slightly. His hands were now fists and a ominous aura began to emanate from him. Ryu began to scream as the blood red aura seemed to engulf him like a wildfire. Chun Li had already moved away from him,not knowing what would happen if that evil looking aura touched her. Ryu's screams became howls of inhuman agony. Helpless,Chun Li broke down into tears.

On their way back to Ryu and Chun Li,Ken and Rose heard a loud explosion coming from that direction. When they arrived,nothing could have prepared them for what they saw. It was Ryu. But something was horribly wrong with him. His skin had darkened and his hair resembled fire. And his eyes. His eyes were like those of a demon. He embraced Chun Li,who was unconscious, from behind,his powerful arms wrapped around her."Let her go!"Ken screamed. Ryu looked at Ken and Rose. Ken winced at the most sinister smile he had ever seen his friend give to him. His teeth had taken on a sort of canine appearance."This woman..."Ryu started,"...She is...important to me?"Both Ken and Rose stared at him. Both were confused. It seemed like Ryu couldn't quite remember her."She is!"Rose stepped forward. If she could just get in range,she could sedate him again. With a look of determination,Rose slowly moved closer to Ryu. Then she paused."W...What are you doing to her?"Ryu breathed in the scent of Chun Li's hair. The fragrance was so familiar to him. Calming. Beautiful. Then he dropped her."I...am power made flesh..."He said."Challenge me."And with that,Ryu propelled himself forward. To Rose's surprise,he flew right past her. As he passed her,she could have sworn she heard him say,"Unworthy..."as he headed straight for Ken.

Readying himself,Ken blocked the first blow. Then came another,and another,and another. Parrying,blocking and dodging was all he could seem to do against Ryu's assault."Wait for a chance to strike..."Ken thought to himself,just barely able to dodge a right hook sent flying toward his face. That is when he noticed the fact that Ryu's feet never touched the ground. Ken's eyes went wide as Ryu's fist had started to blur with each strike becoming quicker than his eyes could discern. He couldn't keep up anymore. A kick to the face. Using that same leg,Ryu followed up with a knee to the abdomen which forced Ken to double over. Grabbing him by the hair,he lifted Ken effortlessly from that position."Stop!"Rose intervened,gathering energy and releasing it in the form of her Soul Spark attack."Hmph!"and with that Ryu knocked her attack harmlessly out of the way with his free hand. During that time however,Ken had recovered and delivered a kick with all his might to Ryu's face causing him to relinquish his hold. Ken back-flipped to get distance. Ryu just stared at Ken seemingly unfazed by his attack."Why..."Ryu started,"Why do you hold back?You are a warrior,like me. So,why do you hesitate?"Meanwhile,Rose had went to check on Chun Li."Chun Li!"she said while lightly shaking her from her unconsciousness. Chun Li's eyes fluttered open. "W...what happened?"Soon,the reality of the situation hit her"Where's Ryu?"Chun Li panicked."Calm down Inspector."Rose said,pointing at a figure that was enveloped in a blood red aura."No..."Chun Li whispered to herself."Th...this can't be happening!"Ryu looked over his shoulder at her. His blood red eyes meeting with her beautiful brown ones. Time seemed to stand still in that instant. Then,he was gone. Ryu had disappeared into nothingness."He's gone Chun Li..."Rose stated in a somber tone. That feeling of helplessness returned and Chun Li fell to her knees and cried. The man she loved was gone and she felt as though there was nothing that could be done.

Ryu had materialized not far from his child-hood home."That girl..."He said to himself,folding his arms. His thoughts returning to the expression she wore before he departed."Why did she...appear to be in so much pain?"Shaking his head and dismissing the thoughts of her, Ryu smiled evilly and said,"Where?...Where is one who can stand against me?" And then he disappeared again,into nothingness.


	2. Now And Forever

Disclaimer:Street Fighter and all things associated with it is property of CAPCOM

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><p>Chapter Two:A promise to love...Now and forever<p>

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><p>Somewhere in Barcelona, Spain... It had been almost a year since he was last here. His childhood home. The mansion was simply divine. It's ivory color scheme matched him perfectly. It gave off a pleasant feeling of peace,safety."Hmph. Safety is a lie."The tall, blond and beautiful Spaniard mused,"People always tend to feel safest right before they die."As he walked toward it's lavish entrance,he couldn't help but admire the flawless rose garden."Ah..."he said,bringing his face closer to a budding rose."Beauty is all that truly matters in this world."Just then, an older gentleman wearing a black tuxedo opened the door to the main house."Young Master."he said,welcoming his master back to his home."Ah...Thank you Antonio. It is truly good to be home."Picking up his master's solitary suit case,Antonio turned on his heels,and escorted his young master to the master bedroom."How long will the master be staying with us?"The butler inquired."Only for 3 days Antonio."He motioned for his servant to leave him."As you wish young master."And Antonio took his leave. The blond Spaniard took a moment to take in his surroundings. His bedroom was nothing short of breathtaking. His walls were adorned with the finest of the world's art. From Michelangelo to Da Vinci,which was one of his favorite artist, to the more lesser known Spanish artist , Frida. He looked lovingly into a mirror."Ahhhh...To be surrounded by beauty that matches my own..."Then he noticed something. The small scar left by the bitch who kicked him out of her apartment from 14 stories up."That bitch..."He growled."I told her I'd make her suffer and I plan to make good on my word!"He looked over to his bed and eyed his mask. Walking over to it,he picked it up."Inspector Chun Li..."He started,smiling,"It's not over yet. You owe me a scream..."And with that, he began to laugh. It started out small and charming but developed into something else. Something dark. Something...obsessive.<p>

Sicily, Italy. A young couple casually walks hand in hand down an avenue surrounded by rivers and gondolas."I've been thinking..."The young man said, breaking the silence,"...Rachel,we should get married."Rachel stops abruptly,a look of confusion on her face."But...you've never even...mentioned marriage before..."She stammered. Eric looked at his long time girlfriend. Her long brunette hair flowing as it was gently tossed by a calm breeze."Maybe..."She said."Maybe?"repeated Eric, raising an eyebrow."Let's go to that psychic place over by the river."Rachel said with a smile."We should see if our love is written in the stars!"Eric looked at Rachel with a skeptic face."Written in the stars,huh?"Grabbing Eric by the hand, Rachel dragged him into the direction of Constellations,the name of the "psychic place"she mentioned earlier.

As the two lovers walked inside, they were surprised by the sent of wild roses. And sitting patiently as though she were waiting for them, a beautiful woman with violet, long hair and a gorgeous long red dress greeted them with a warm smile."Welcome."she said, motioning them to take the seats at the table in front of her, which was beautifully decorated with silk cloths of blue and purple. The couple sat down."You wish to know if you are compatible with him,yes?"the woman asked raising an eyebrow."That's amazing!"gasped Rachel, looking over to see if Eric was as amazed as she was. He was not impressed."I'm sure you get couples in here all the time Ms...uh...""Rose."the lady replied simply."Call me Rose."and with that, she started to shuffle her cards. Once. Twice. And then she lay-ed them out in four separate rows of six."Choose three."Rachel didn't hesitate reaching for the cards. She flipped one over."The fool..."Rose said in an emotionless tone. Next, Eric flipped one."Hmm...Lovers."she said with that same emotionless tone."Now for the third card. You must flip it together."The couple did as Rose instructed, both of their hearts pounding with anticipation. Flipping the card over, Rose's eyes went wide."Just like them..."her voice and gaze distant. Breaking from those thoughts, Rose decided not to reveal the true meaning of the cards they flipped over. The couple stared at her expectantly."The two of you will live a very long and happy life together."And with that, the couple looked at each other with warm smiles."Rachel...does this mean...?"Rachel could barely contain herself."Yes...Yes,I'll marry you!" As Rose watched the couple exit her shop, she couldn't help but think back to when another couple flipped those very same cards."Ryu...I will help you find your way back to her...I owe her that much."And with a sense of purpose, Rose began packing her few belongings and set her course to Japan.

It had been a week since she last saw him. Chun Li had woken up in her apartment after she lost consciousness on the island. She hugged herself as if trying to keep warm."He...still loves me..."But that had been a week ago. She hadn't seen him or heard anything about him since. His trail had gone cold. She now sat in her office at Interpol, Japan branch. Suddenly, a knock came out the office door. A tall man with blond hair and a scraggly mustache walked in. He was wearing a green military looking field jacket, a black t-shirt and light brown cargo pants."Hey Chun Li!"the man said in a nonchalant voice."Wallace!What's up?"He walked over to the side of the desk she was sitting on and sat on the edge."I was...um...kinda hoping...that uh...you had a chance...to uh...think about my...offer?"Wallace stumbled over his words. He was a nice guy. Chun Li had always liked him. But only as a friend. She suspected he wanted to be more than that though. "Wallace...we've been over this."Chun Li noticed his face had a saddened look to it now. "Alright..."she sighed."I'll go on one date with you..."Wallace's face lit up as she continued,"But if you even think about trying to cop a feel?I'll kill you."Chun Li's face had a sweet, gentle smile,but Wallace knew better."I'll be a perfect gentleman."he promised her."Alright then, Friday night at 8."He said as he walked to the door."Friday at 8."Chun Li repeated as he walked out. She sighed."I'm sure he understands that my heart belongs to..."she trailed off. Her thoughts returning to the only man she had ever loved emotionally and...physically.

She remembered their first time expressing their love in the physical sense. It had been a pretty interesting first date. They had walked and talked all night. She had told him more about herself and he did likewise. When he walked her back to her apartment, she had been disappointed that he didn't want to kiss her."So...um...do you want...to come up for awhile?"Chun Li asked shyly."Weeeeeell...I do like talking with you sooooo...sure."Ryu said with a warm smile. Chun Li started to blush. Ryu noticed how beautiful Chun Li was. Has...she always been this pretty?Ryu thought to himself. Turning to him, her head cocked slightly to the side, she asks"Are you coming?"breaking Ryu of his thoughts."You're so weird!"Chun Li giggled. Ryu smiled. She really is cute. After taking the elevator to the 14th floor,they arrived at Chun Li apartment. Opening the door,Chun Li walks toward the kitchen and calls over her shoulder,"Is green tea okay?"Ryu was entranced by her figure. She turns to look at him."What's wrong Ryu?"She noticed he was staring at her, which made her blush. Ryu walked over to her."R...Ryu?"Chun Li's temperature started to rise. Their eyes met and they slowly moved closer to each other. Ryu touched her arm. Chun Li shivered as his hand moved up her arm and rested gently on her cheek. She tilted her head forward as to invite him to her kiss. He obliged her. Their lips were brought together in a perfect, passionate kiss. Their tongues wrestling for dominance. Ryu's free hand had moved slowly to one of her breast, rubbing it softly and giving it a gentle squeeze. Chun Li's nipples were erect and her breathing was heavy. "Ryu..."Chun Li started but Ryu silenced her, putting a finger to her lips. "Chun Li...I...don't know what these feelings mean, but I know what my heart wants."Chun Li could hold back no longer. The warm sensation between her legs begged for Ryu's attention. She took his hands into hers and led him to her bedroom.

Her black evening dress fell to the floor revealing her black french cut under garments. Ryu marveled at her beautiful body. Her curves were magnificent. "So...beautiful..."was all Ryu could say. With a seductive look in her eyes, Chun Li motioned for Ryu to come closer,"Come over here..."she cooed. Her hormones had taken completely over as she undressed Ryu."Oh,my!"Chun Li gasped as she got her first glimpse of Ryu's erect member. Embarrassed, Ryu simply said,"I'm sorry...this has never happened to me before..." Chun Li marveled at the size. "Ryu...I had no idea..."she said with a seductive smile as she took his manhood into her hands. She rubbed gently on his massive erection."Take them off for me..."Chun Li commanded and Ryu obeyed. He sat down on the bed and moved his hands to her panties. Slowly,he brought her black panties to her ankles and she stepped out of them. Chun Li was gushing. She lifted one of her toned, thick thighs onto Ryu's shoulder, her womanhood directly in front of his face. He began to kiss on her mound, her pubic hairs were neatly shaved into a triangular shape. His lips moved to her clitoris. Chun Li moaned sweetly as she felt his tongue enter her. Her breaths were short and heavy as the waves of her orgasm started to quake through her body. Her love muscles contracted and she gushed even more. Pulling his tongue from her, he picked her up and laid her on her back. Her dripping woman hood craved more. They kissed again. Deeply. More passionately than before. "Ni ai wo ma?"(Do you love me?) Chun Li asked as she guided his manhood toward her entrance. Smiling warmly, Ryu replied,"More than anything...now and forever."Satisfied with his answer, Chun Li slowly forced his erection inside of her tight, sacred place. She winced from the pain. Ryu gasped."Did I hurt you?"a concerned look on his face."I...I'm okay."Chun Li replied softly. Ryu slowly filled her with the rest of his erection. Chun Li moaned in ecstasy as Ryu filled her womanhood completely. She closed her eyes as he began to thrust inside of her. It started out slow but the pace quickened as Chun Li commanded Ryu to go faster. **Again**! **Again**!Chun Li's cries of passion filled the room. **Again**! **Again**!"**Harder**!"she commanded Ryu. His silence became grunts as he did what his lover commanded. "I...I can't...much longer!"Ryu was about to burst. Chun Li wrapped her arms around Ryu's neck and brought him down to her. Her nails had drew blood. The pace quickened even more as Ryu pounded into her. Her cries became screams of passion as they climaxed together. And at the end of orgasm...silence.

Then the phone rang, bringing Chun Li back to the present. Grabbing it,she answered,"H...Hello?Inspector Chun Li?"She recognized the voice immediately."Chun Li?It's Ken. Listen,we've got another lead on Ryu's whereabouts!"Chun Li's heart skipped a beat,"What?A...are you sure?"Ken confidently replied,"Yup! Just meet Rose in Osaka tomorrow. She's got all the info you need,kay?"Chun Li had felt relieved. She never thought she would she see her lover again but, here Ken was, telling her to meet with Rose."Heeeeey!Chun Leeeeeeeeeeeeeee...You didn't forget about me,did ya?"the truth was, she did."I'm so sorry Ken!she apologized."Don't worry about it...Anyway,I gotta go ,but remember,Osaka tomorrow. She'll find you!"and with that,he hung up. Chun Li stood up and stretched. The anxiety she felt seemed to have melted awy with that phone call. And in less thn 15 hours, she would meet Rose and they could begin the search for Ryu again. Hopefully, with a solid lead.


	3. A Small Sanctuary

Disclaimer:We are legion but we do not own Street Fighter or anything related to it. Also,this story is tributes to the author of Hero of Hero's, the story that inspired me to write myself. So...this story is dedicated to Night.

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><p>Chapter Three:Small Sanctuary<p>

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><p>The Ritz Hotel, San Francisco...<p>

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><p>Ken had received a call from Rose over an hour ago. She said she knew of a way to find Ryu, but he and Chun Li had to meet her in Osaka, in order to test a certain theory. Ken had been skeptical but, Rose found him twice in t. If ae past. If anyone could locate Ryu, she could. So he informed Chun Li who, for some reason, seemed very distant toward the end of their conversation. He thought back to the days when he and Eliza would separate due to his participation in tournaments. He had been told by one of his maids that his wife had refused to eat or sleep due to worrying about him. Could Ryu be affecting Chun Li in the same way? <em>How close had they become<em>? Ken's eyes widened at the thought of Ryu and Chun Li, bringing their lips together until...Shaking his head, Ken dismissed the thought. "No way...they couldn't have become that close, could they?"His phone rang."Oh,thank god..."Ken thought to himself, thankful for the distraction."Mr. Masters?" asked a husky voice."Yeah. Go ahead."replied Ken."Yes. Your private jet is ready sir."Fierce determination was apparent on Ken's face,"Alright, thanks."hanging up afterwords."Hold on buddy"Ken started, clenching his fist,"We're bringing you home...and back to her." And on that note, Ken grabbed his already packed bag and headed for the door of his hotel room.

"Am I...dreaming?" His voice seemed different somehow...it seemed...disembodied. Walking over to a nearby river, the young man peered into the clear water. He was surprised by his reflection. "This is...me?" the boy asked no one in particular. His hair was reddish brown and his bangs hung down to his eyebrows. He noticed he was wearing a white dogi."So...I am a martial artist?" Suddenly, as if his surroundings were responding to his thoughts, he found himself inside a dojo. "W...What the hell!" the youth exclaimed."Where am I?" the young man said as he surveyed his surroundings. It was a traditional dojo. The walls were adorned with technique scrolls and things of the like. "Hmmm..." he thought to himself. "I know this place..." As he walked through the seemingly empty dojo, he heard the distinct sound of wood being...hit?

He walked toward the sound which led him out into what apeared to be the courtyard of the dojo. The youth's eyes widened as he saw another young man practicing on a wooden dummy. The other youth had long blond hair tied with a red ribbon at the end. He also wore a red dogi. "H...hello?" the young man in the white dogi called to the the boy in the red one. The American boy turned with a mischievous smirk,"Ryu!" he said. "Ryu...is...my name?" Ken looked at Ryu with a look of confusion on his face."What's wrong bro? You still upset about not getting to talk with that pretty Chinese chick?"Ryu blinked,"W...what are talki..." interrupting Ryu's inquiry, Ken grabbed Ryu in a headlock."C'mon Ryu, don't play dumb with me! You were checkin her out the whole time! Wooga! Wooga! Wooga!"he teased, giving his best friend a playful noogie."H...Hey! Let go!" Ryu screamed as the memories returned to him. Ryu laughed while tossing Ken to the ground. "What are you accusing me of? Being a pervert or something?"He said with an irritated look."Dude, I was just kidding..._A little touchy about your girlfriend, aren't we?_"Ken mumbled the last part. Ryu gave Ken a glare that would've stopped a heart, but Ken just grinned childishly at his best friend and rival which, in turn, made Ryu smile back. "So, are you gonna see her again?" asked Ken, holding his hand up."I would like to. She's very strong. Graceful. I wouldn't mind fighting her someday."Ryu replied, helping his friend up to his feet."I hope by fight, you mean, give her the ol' **heave ho**!"Ken joked. "Heave...ho?" inquired Ryu, raising an eyebrow. Ken laughed. "Oh man Ryu,you've got alot to learn about women dude!" Looking up toward the sky, Ryu replied,"Yeah...I guess I do."

"Chun Li..."A dark voice could be heard from nowhere. "What is she to me?" the voice inquired to itself. Burning red eyes peered down at the two boys as they joked and laughed without a care in the world. "Show me what they mean to you...Show me why you cherish them." the voice rumbled."Show me why you cherish...her..."

Hong Kong, China...

"**Time is money!**"exclaimed a rather overweight, Asian man wearing a white polo shirt, a red kango cap and black slacks. He was sitting in what appeared to be a directors chair."But does he give a shit? Obviously not!" he said, while motioning for one of the stage hands to move to his location."Well,sir"the younger, slender man started,"He knew the next hit time but, nobody's seen him since lunch."The director was starting to get impatient."It's a little difficult to make a movie...**WITHOUT THE DAMN STAR**!" the chubby director bellowed."Don't worry sir. We'll find him."said the stage hand as he motioned for the others to go and search for the star of their screenplay. The director sighed,"It's always something with that Fei Long...He's an asshole!"

It had been unusually warm today and the aggravation of stardom wore on this young mans nerves. Sitting alone in a park, the young man sighed."When I signed that contract, I didn't think it would be this stressful..." The man wore a white Armani suit (Part of his costume), a red Gucci tie and a pair of black, shiny Gucci low quarters."Maybe no one will recognize me this time." He thought, hopefully. Although, he couldn't really say he was incognito."Oh my god..."a teenaged girl started,"It's...it's...Fe..."Fei Long had moved faster than the speed of sound to get to the girl. His finger was on her lips,"Hey there pretty lady..." he said with a dreamy look in his eyes. The girl melted in his arms and swooned at his touch."I would like only to be with you before I must return to my duties." The girl locked eyes with him as he gazed affectionately into her's. He moved his lips slowly toward hers...and then she fainted."Thank god I took Ken's advice about stardom." he said while scooping the girl up and placing her gently on the bench he had been occupying. He smiled at the girl. A cold shiver had suddenly shot down his spine."I found you!"came a mousy voice, sounding triumphant. Fei Long looked over his shoulder. "Oh, great..."he mumbled and closed his eyes.

"**Where the hell have you been?**" said the slightly obese director, glaring at Fei Long from his chair. "Calm down Wong." Fei sighed, a look of annoyance suddenly emerging. "I lost track of time while on break." The director's eyes hadn't moved from Fei Long. His glare seemed to deepen. "If you hadn't noticed...We have a **DAMN DEADLINE TO MEET!**"Wong's temper started to flare and he stared indignantly at the young martial artist. Sighing heavily, Wong's features softened,"You have to start taking this more seriously Fei." Fei Long smiled."No since dwelling on it Wong!" he laughed. Wong sighed again."Just...Take your place already!" and Fei Long walked over to his designated area."Places everyone!Places!" Wong said through a bullhorn. And with that, the other cast members walked to their respective areas ready to perform their roles. Fei looked up toward the sky and smiled."Maybe I should see how si-mui is doing after this." he thought to himself. His smile slowly faded as the the call for "ACTION" resounded in his ear. He took 3 slow, deep breaths and walked into the the cameras for his next scene.

Osaka, Japan. 16 hours later...

Rose had checked into her hotel about an hour ago. It was late in the evening and the moon lit the night sky with an almost ethereal glow. The stars burned dimly as the cool night air wafted in through a window she had recently opened. "All I can do is wait."Rose was, if anything, extremely patient. She would wait for Chun Li and Ken and they would resume their search for Ryu. She knew how dangerous it was but, she didn't care. If Chun Li was willing to face evil incarnate and not turn away, then she would do everything in her power to bring him back to her. Rose admired Chun Li's courage. Love is, after all, the most powerful energy in the world and it is that love which gave Chun Li the strength to brave forth and confront the devil which possessed the man she loved. "Her love will see her through..." Rose whispered thoughtfully. She had been sitting on her bed, hopeful that either Ken or Chun Li would appear soon. Closing her eyes, Rose began the breathing technique required for "_Astral Projection_". Inhale slowly. Exhale slowly. Focusing only on her breathing. Her aura began to engulf her. A purple-ish fire surrounded her entire body as she inhaled and exhaled. Suddenly, her eyes opened and she was looking down at herself."Right. I need to see if he's still there." And with that, her _astral_ body disappeared into the calm darkness of the night sky.

In the mountainous area surrounding Suzaku Castle...

A lone figure stood, arms folded, atop a flattened protrusion off a mountainside. A cold wind blew through his blood red hair, which resembled fire."So, the cub has finally become a wolf..."said the figure. He was wearing a deep, dark blue dogi, a simple rope tied around his waist. His fists had rope wound around them also, resembling fighting gloves. "My name is Gouki!" he shouted, stomping his foot down and taking the horse stance. It seemed the whole mountain quaked with fear as it shook violently as Gouki's ki flared. His aura was enormous! The kanji character, "Ten" or "Heaven", on his back burned through his dogi and he smiled evilly. "**I'm coming for you boy...**"


	4. Master of Fists Round One

Disclaimer:I do NOT own Street Fighter, though I wish I did, or anything related to it. It all belongs to Capcom...stoopid Capcom.

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><p>Chapter Four:The Master of Fists round one<p>

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><p>Chun Li had arrived in Osaka about forty-five minutes ago. She had little trouble going through the checkpoints once security had proof that she was with Interpol. She couldn't help but notice the added security around the airport. When she inquired about it, one of the guards told her that there was a strange man wandering around earlier in the day. Chun Li immediately thought of Ryu but, the guard had informed her that he was a foreigner. Ryu may have gone all dark side but, he was definitely no foreigner. Not in his own country. So, dismissing the thought as just some sort of foreign peeping Tom or something of the like, Chun Li continued on to her destination. She had no idea just how wrong she was. As she walked out of the airport, not once did he avert his gaze. His icy blue eyes traced every curve and contour of her body. Every dip and valley. He imagined how he would rip her tight little mini-skirt off of her. How she would fight against his wishes. How he would tarnish her purity. Vega smiled at this thought as he licked his lips.<p>

"You belong to me..." he whispered with all the maliciousness that has come to be expected from him.

"Soon, my sweet senorita..." It had become clear that Vega was quite obsessed with Chun Li as he watched her enter a taxi from his vantage point.

"Soon..." he hissed.

Within the hour her taxi had stopped in front of the Shin Osaka hotel. Chun Li paid the driver, grabbed her bag and purse and made her way inside. It was a nice enough place, however, she didn't have time to fully appreciate the subtle, homely feel of her surroundings. Her eyes searched right to left. No sign of Rose. "Where could she be?"Chun Li inquired with a heavy sigh. Walking over to the reception desk she rings a small bell. Within minutes a girl with long dark hair wearing the hotels blue uniform appeared from behind a closed door beyond the desk.

She looked at Chun Li with unimpressed eyes and said,"Youkosu Shin Osaka..." the receptionist stopped in mid sentence and cleared her throat.

"Uh...Welcome to the Shin Osaka Hotel! I am Setsuka, how may I assist you today?"

Chun Li could tell from her accent that the young receptionist wasn't born in Osaka. Setsuka's accent was slightly heavier than any of the few people she spoke to today. Dismissing the thought, she smiled and said,"Yes...um...I have a reservation under Xiang."

"Xiang...Xiang..." she said softly to herself while typing onto a keyboard resting in front of a computer screen.

"Is there a problem?" Chun Li asked impatiently.

"No. No problem at all Ms. Xiang." said the young woman as she turned to get Chun Li her key.

"Room 303."

Chun Li looked at the receptionist warily.'Why is she acting so strange?' she thought to herself, taking the key from the seemingly innocent young lady.

"Please, enjoy your stay." And with a final smile, Setuska disappeared behind the door she entered from.

"Strange..." whispered the perplexed Chinese woman.

"So, You finally made it." said a voice from behind her, elicting a small scream from a startled Chun Li.

She turned to see her friend, Ken Masters, with his trademark smirk.

"Ken..." she spoke as she took a deep breath then continued,"...If you ever do that again, I'll kill you!" she warned with an innocent smile.

Ken swallowed hard. He should've known better than to sneak up on Chun Li of all people. Even though she smiled like a sweet and innocent girl, Ken knew enough about his Chinese friend to never, EVER, do that again. Mustering his courage, Ken smiled nervously.

"Uh...sorry Chun...I saw you in a daze and couldn't help myself." apologized Ken.

"This isn't exactly a time for fooling around, you know?" Chun Li scolded. Then she smiled and stuck her tongue at him.

"I know what you're tying to do...: she said as her smile faded."...I'll be fine. You don't have to worry."

"But I do worry about you. And I've been worried about you since..." Ken stopped suddenly, closely observing Chun Li's sorrow filled expression and decided to change the subject.

"Any sign of Rose?" he inquired, noting his companions eyes fill with worry.

"No...I haven't seen any sign of her yet." she replied, anxiety present in her voice.

Chun Li was really starting to get worried now. Not only had she not seen Rose, she could not feel her energy either. That meant two things. She either hadn't made her way to Osaka yet or, she was here and decided to look for Ryu on her own. Chun Li didn't like the aspect of the latter considering how dangerous Ryu had become.

"Ryu..." she sighed heavily as Ken placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"C'mon Chun! She's gotta be around here somewhere. Let's look for her!" Ken smiled as he ushered Chun Li to an elevator.

And for the first time since she landed in Osaka, Chun Li felt confident in their mission to free Ryu of the darkness that has him shackled so.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, On top of Osaka Castle...<p>

* * *

><p>His burning red eyes stared disgustedly down at the unsuspecting populace. He could destroy them all with just a flick of his finger. His lips curled into a sinister smile at the thought. Ryu continued to watch them in hopes that one of them, just one of them, would provide him with a decent challenge. Slowly closing his blood red eyes, his thoughts began to wander back to the days of his weakness. Back to her.<p>

"Why?" the dark one thought to himself.

"Why do my thoughts always return to her?" he said, clenching his fist.

Suddenly, the sky began to darken. A fierce wind began to howl and Ryu smiled.

"Took you long enough old man..." he said as his eyes slowly opened.

"So...You knew I was here all along?" a voice inquired nonchalant from directly behind Ryu.

"Of course...This hadou...grants me power far beyond any of my old abilities." replied the younger warrior.

"Then...Let us not waste any more time with meaningless talk." the voice snarled.

"Yes. Let us see who the true "Master Of Fists" is...**Gouki!**"

The two had been standing back to back through the entire conversation. Both of their blood red auras flared as the first drop of rain fell from the sky. And then...they disappeared. For a brief moment, everything was still. It was as if the earth itself held it's breath in anticipation of the ones who wield the Satsui No Hadou to reappear. Suddenly, they did in fact, re-emerge. Dashing toward each other with malice, Ryu threw a left straight punch while Gouki threw a right. Both blows were dodged narrowly as a great shock-wave tore through the roof of the castle. They both smiled and again, disappeared only to re-emerge seconds later. Ryu, still smiling, rushed his opponent.

Gouki braced himself as Ryu closed the distance between them. Ryu threw a right hook. Gouki blocked and countered with a knee strike to Ryu's ribs. Anticipating the counter, Ryu twisted his body with the momentum he had in the direction his fist was headed and countered with a spinning back kick which smashed into Gouki's face. Gouki was sent backwards a bit, but caught Ryu in the chin with a somersault kick. Both fighters were tossed backwards, however, it was Gouki that was back to his feet first.

Before Ryu could recover, Gouki went on the offensive. Within seconds, closing the distance between himself and Ryu, the demon warrior unleashed a flurry of powerful blows. His fist moved with inhuman speed as he pummeled Ryu with each strike. Left hook. Right straight. Open palm strike to the sternum. As Ryu was pushed back, Gouki swept his opponent off his feet, all while gathering energy into his hands. Cupping his hands at his side, Gouki thrust his palms forward, hitting Ryu with his "**Gou-Hadou**" technique. The younger warrior sailed through the air and slammed into the side of the roof of the castle, finally falling face first. Gouki stomped his foot down and took the horse stance, his aura flaring violently.

"Fool!" grunted the Master of Fists, sneering at Ryu' motionless body.

"It would I appear I have greatly over-estimated your..." Gouki stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Before his eyes, Ryu stood defiantly, unfazed by his attacks. Gouki clenched his fist and gritted his canine like teeth.

"**My name is Ryu**..." the young man stated, his aura engulfing him in a blood red wildfire,"...**and the ultimate power has awakened within me!**"

"Hmph!" sneered Gouki.

Ryu cracked his knuckles while walking slowly toward his opposition. Gouki had not moved a muscle since Ryu had returned to his feet. He just stared into the younger warriors eyes as he slowly made his way to him. The rain had begun to fall harder now, soaking both practitioners of the dark arts. Suddenly, as if provoked by some unseen gesture, Ryu dashed for Gouki with murderous rage. Once again, the wielders of the "satsui no hadou" began exchanging blows. Each strike was followed by a mighty shock wave which decimated their stage of battle.

Then suddenly, they both seemed to have vanished from sight again, re-appearing briefly, only to vanish once again. Each time they re-emerged, a new shock-wave was felt as another blow was blocked or countered. The unseen spectator could not believe her eyes. Rose had been watching this battle take place from the beginning but even she was having trouble keeping her eyes on the two warriors.

"The satsui no hadou is a truly frightening thing..." Rose thought, a bead of sweat trailing down her brow.

Though she has never known fear before, Rose was one hundred percent sure that she was terrified of this power. It was more terrible than "_Psycho Power_" and more destructive than any weapon on earth. The only reason the people below the castle hadn't noticed anything was amiss was because Rose had used a _psychic barrier_ to surround the castle. Otherwise, there would be a lot of innocent people caught in the crossfire of this battle between monsters. _Monster? Is that what Ryu had become? Could he not find within himself the strength to overcome the darkness within his own heart?_

"Is he...beyond my help?" the translucent woman thought as she began to doubt herself.

The fight was reaching a fevered pitch. Whatever chance Gouki had to win seemed to have disappeared as Ryu's fists moved with unbelievable speed. The older demon was rocked with an uppercut followed by a roundhouse, which sent him spiraling into the roofs surface. Gouki's eyes were wide with rage as he coughed up blood. Ryu watched as Gouki slowly got to his feet, then dashed toward him. As Ryu closed the distance, the weary old fighter smiled a toothy grin as he prepared for the Shun Goku Satsu. Gouki waited until the young warrior was close enough that he wouldn't be able to stop or alter his direction. The time came. Lifting his leg and bending his knee, Gouki went into the Instant Murder Kill.

Rose's eyes widened as everything around her, including outside her barrier, went dark. She could her the blows hitting the fourteen vital spots but she noticed the younger man didn't scream. Just then, the darkness shattered as Ryu and Gouki re-emerged. The young martial artist stopped Gouki's fist inches away from his heart.

"How can this be?" the demon snarled indignantly.

Ryu gave his arm a twist instantly breaking it. Gouki howled in pain as the fledgling demon relinquished his hold. Ryu went on the offensive again as Gouki staggered backwards. Charging his lower body with ki, Ryu spun into the air with his leg extended.

"**Tatsumaki-Zankuu-Kyakuu!**"

Gouki was hit several times as Ryu completed the old demon slowly fell backwards however, Ryu quickly shot his hand forward, catching his opponent by the arm. A fresh wave of pain shot through Gouki as he looked back at Ryu, eyes wide with disbelief.

"I will show you..." the young man started as he brought his fist to his waist,"...**the true power of the Satsui No Hadou!**"

"**Gou-Shoryu!**"

Gouki was lifted into the air by the forbidden technique as Ryu flew past him in a blur. Once Ryu had gotten a little distance, the fist that hit Gouki opened, energy building in and around it. Watching his opponent hit the surface of the castles rooftop, Ryu smiled evilly as he thrust his opened palm, and all the energy gathered into it, down at Gouki.

"**Tenma Gou Zankuu!**"

Rose watched in horror as blood red energy rained down on the old demon. An inhuman howl was heard over the crashing of energy as wood splintered, shingles and dust flying every which way.

"Ryu..what have you become?" lamented Rose as the energy finally died down.

Ryu stood triumphantly over Gouki, who lay motionless at the younger demons feet. Rose could hardly believe the power she witnessed. It was amazing, terrible, frightening and strangely enough, it cast a rather alluring shadow on Ryu. For some reason, Rose could not take her eyes off of him. Her eyes took in his well built frame, the rain streaming down his toned, strong arms. Heat began to rise to her face as she shamelessly ogled the warrior, his wet body calling to her.

"W...what am I doing?" Rose whispered, as if he would catch her ogling him.

Rose knew that what she was doing was wrong. Ryu loved Chun Li and she loved him. It had taken so long for the two of them to become more than friends. So why was she fantasizing about him now. Was it the Satsui No Hadou that attracted her to him? That had to be it! Rose shook her head to clear her thoughts. "I came to return him to Chun Li." Rose reassured herself. Just then, Gouki's seemingly lifeless body levitated off of the ground. Ryu watched nonchalantly as the old demons eyes, lifeless and black moments ago, returned to life with a pinkish purple hue. Gouki clenched his fist as the rain continued to beat down from the darkened sky.

Ryu, still unimpressed, folded his arms and watched as Gouki's transformation continued. "About time old man. I was starting to get bored!" taunted the young demon. Gouki was now standing before Ryu in all his glory. His aura, now a pinkish purple color, flared like an inferno as it spiraled into the dark and ominous sky. Gouki bared his fangs as his muscles bulged. They had tripled in size and his fiery red hair had turned white. His pupil-less eyes bore into Ryu as his aura threatened to engulf all that exist. Rose watched as the two demon warriors went into their fighting stances. Ryu's blood red aura paled in comparison to Gouki's. Both warriors smiled. Both knew that this fight was far from over. Both knew that after today, only one of them would be walking away from this fight. This fight would decide who the true "Master of Fists" was. Youkosu: Welcome to


	5. Master of fists Round Two

Disclaimer: Street Fighter and all things associated with it are the property of CAPCOM.

Just a couple of things. I just want to thank anyone who've read and/or reviewed this fic. I really appreciate the input and will hopefully become better for it. So, without further stalling...ahem...On to the next chapter.

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><p>Chapter Five:Master of Fist Round Two<p>

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><p>Somewhere in Metro City, U.S.A...<p>

Night had fallen here. The moon bathed the urban metropolis in it's silver light as the stars, it's only companions, burned brightly all around the clear night sky. A peaceful night was rare in this city but, with the Mad Gear gang crushed, it was the only kind of night the citizens had to look forward to. There was one soul however, that kept watch over the city as it slept. The young man stood atop the highest building, arms folded, his eyes closed. He wore a bright red ninja uniform with a yellow sash, yellow gauntlets, and bright red sneakers. Guy, master of the Bushin-Ryu ninja arts, kept a silent watch over the citizens of Metro City. Suddenly, as if he could tell he was being watched from the streets below, his eyes opened and he launched himself into the air and started his decent toward the depths of the less than crowded streets below. The Bushin-Ryu practitioner landed silently on the roof of a liquor store. Guy surveyed the area, noticing that the one who had been tailling him since he started his patrol earlier that night, seemed to have dis-appeared. That is, until he heard a familiar voice from behind him.

"Never understood how you could be so stealthy wearin' those bright ass colors, man..." said the voice, nonchalantly.

"Hmph. You just have no sense of style my friend." Guy shot back, glancing over his shoulder.

Standing there was the young ninja's friend and hero of Metro City, Cody Travers. Guy could not fathom why his friend, a former hero, could not find it within himself to move on from the violent past of the city. It was peaceful now. Although there were remnants of the Mad Gear here and there, there was no reason to live the way he chose to. He wanted to ask Cody why he chose to live the way he did but, decided against it.

"C'mon man, you need to learn to relax or somethin." Cody said with a smile.

"You're a fine one to talk. When was the last time you talked to Jessica?" Guy retorted almost irritably.

"No comment..." yawned the escaped convict.

Guy raised an eyebrow at Cody's nonchalant attitude. 'How could he be so uncaring for a woman who loved him?' Cody started to stare up at the silent night sky. His nonchalant demeanor showing completely through as he continued to smile. After a few moments of silence, the blonde man looked back to his friend.

"She actually came to see me before my disappearin' act. Can you believe that?" the young man said, shifting his eyes over to the ninja.

"She still loves you Cody. Why not go back to her?...Live as you did before the Mad Gear?" Guy implored, his voice full of concern for his friend.

"Wish I could bro...It's not as easy for me as it was for you." Cody replied, closing his eyes in thought before he continued.

"We put an end to the Mad Gear to save the city and her life but, in the end...it didn't matter. All the violence. The fightin'. I found it hard as hell to stop after that." the convict lamented.

"And before you knew it, you realized that fighting had become your whole life..." Guy finished.

"...Hmmmm...That's a really good way of puttin it pal." Cody sighed, his earlier demeanor returning.

"I know of someone else going through something similar. Trying to find his way back to the woman who loves him." the wise ninja said as his steely gaze peered across the vast dark sky.

Guy couldn't quite place it, but he knew something was wrong. Across the horizon, he could sense dark energy gahtering and gainning power.

"You better get goin' man. I got things around here!" said the blonde fighter, grinning and cracking his knuckles.

"In times of peace. Vigilance." Guy declared as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The destiny of the Bushin clan is to find evil and destroy it, no matter where it was or what form it took. The Bushin-Ryu master nodded to his friend and launched himself high into the air leaving his friend to protect the city in his absence. Guy hardened his resolve as he flew gracefully through the air from rooftop to rooftop. He would help his friends, no matter the cost.

* * *

><p>The Shin Osaka Hotel...<p>

* * *

><p>It was getting late and they had searched three of the twelve hotel floors. And though things didn't quite progress as he planned, Ken had managed to bring a small smile to the face of his Chinese friend.<p>

"Ken, did your plan really consist of knocking on every door in the hotel to find Rose?" inquired Chun Li, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh...well...Ya see...This...wasn't really the plan. I kinda hoped we'd find her on the first or second floors but, by the time I was ready to throw in the towel, you were already on the war path." replied the young American fighter.

"Ben-dan." (Idiot!) Chun Li said to herself in her native tongue as she unlocked the door to her room.

"A...anyway, let's just rest up for the night. I'm sure Rose will be here in the morning, kay?" stammered Ken, trying to be somewhat sympathetic to his friends feelings.

"Fine..." the Chinese girl replied as she turned to Ken and gave him a wyry smile.

Ken sighed and walked over to his friend,placing a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we're gonna find Rose and then we'll find Ryu. Hell, I'll bet Rose already knows where he is!" smiled Ken, trying to be as optimistic as he could.

Chun Li nodded and walked into her room, closing the door behind her. Ken just stood outside of the door in silence. He knew his friend pretty well and he knew she would break down soon. The blonde man lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"Why Ryu? Why would you do this to her?" inquired Ken to himself, clenching his fist.

"Why would you hurt her like this?" and after a few moments of silence, Ken turned and walked into his own room, across form Chun Li's, gently closing the door behind him.

Chun Li had been laying on the floor gently rubbing her stomach. She needed to find Ryu. She had something important to tell him but, in all honesty, she was afraid. Afraid to tell him that the night they spent together all those weeks ago, had left something extraordinary inside of her. She was terrified of the thought of Ryu, not wanting her or their baby. Even now, she could feel it, the life that the only man she'd ever been with had helped to create, was growing. She thought of how they would raise the child together. Of how she would cook for them and they would stuff their faces. Chun Li smiled at that thought.

"But...what if Ryu...rejects us?" her eyes widened at the thought as the tears began to flow down her cheek again.

Chun Li just wanted to be with him again. To be safe with his powerful arms wrapped around her. The people in her life have never seen her cry. She had never shown anyone her vulnerable side because she'd vowed to her father that she would remain strong. Chun Li was, after all, the strongest woman in the world but, she was still just a woman. And she was in love. More tears fell as she curled tighter to herself, clutching at her stomach.

"Ryu..." she whispered weakly as she gave in to weariness, finally allowing her eyes to close.

* * *

><p>Osaka Castle...<p>

* * *

><p>The sky had turned a sinister tinge of red as the two Ansastuken warriors continued to battle for supremacy. Each of their strikes were now followed by shock-waves even stronger than the ones from earlier. Dashing toward each other, both demons fist crashed into one another with unbelievable force, shattering Rose's pcychic barrier. The people below now stared up at the castle as the great battle raged on. After exchanging fists in mid air, both fighters broke contact, landing on the castles now decimated rooftop surface. Ryu stared at the older demon with unbridled contempt. Shin Gouki folded his arms and smiled evilly.<p>

"Something wrong, boy?" the demon laughed as the fledgling breathed heavily.

"**Shut up!**" huffed Ryu, trying to catch his breath.

Something was wrong. Ryu could barely manage to keep up with Gouki now that he'd revealed his true form. The older demon hadn't even broken a sweat yet. Shin Gouki, with his arms still folded, suddenly launched himself effortlessly into the sky, stopping twenty feet above Ryu. The younger demon watched as Shin Gouki raised his fist toward the dark, blood red sky. Gouki's pinkish purple aura engulfed him, flaring again like an unholy inferno.

"Now..." the old demon started,"...Let me show _**you**_ the true power of the Satsui no hadou!"

Shin Gouki's fist opened as the pinkish purple energy gathered into his palm. Below the castle, the gawking by-standers began to panic. People were running and screaming as local authorities began to flood onto the scene. How easily those who didn't understand ki manipulation were to frighten. Rose, feeling as if there was nothing left to be done, retreated back to her physical body. She knew where Ryu was so there was no reason to linger any longer. When her eyes opened she was back in her room, sitting cross legged on her bed. Rose had forgotten how 'Astral Projection' left you physically drained when you returned to your body. She tried to stand but immediately fell to the floor. She could keep her eyes open no longer despite how much she wanted to.

"I...I...have to...find...Chu..." stammered the semi conscious woman as her eyelids became too heavy to keep open.

Ryu had dodged Shin Gouki's Messatsu-Gou-Zankuu but, was caught off guard with a Goushoryu, which lifted him high into the air. The older demon had disappeared and re-emerged above the fledgling, catching him by the head. Shin Gouki rammed Ryu's skull, face first, into the roofs surface with titanic force, causing the roof to finally give way and collapse. The master of fists stared down at the injured and bleeding young warrior as he slowly got to his feet.

"It's...not over...yet!" huffed the young demon, his breath heavy and ragged.

"Hmph." sneered Gouki.

Ryu launched himself up toward his opponent with great speed. The old demon smiled a toothy grin as the pup closed the distance. The two warriors began to exchange fists. Each blow faster and more fierce than the last. The younger demon through a left hook followed by a roundhouse, however, Gouki dodged both with ease. Growling to himself, Ryu spun into the air with his leg extended, his ki flowing through his lower body.

"Tatsumaki-Zankuu-Senpukyaku!"

Gouki was hit twice before he caught the demonic wandering warrior by his ankle. Ryu's eyes widened in disbelief as the true demon slammed him into what remained of the castle's roof. Unfortunately, Gouki was not finished. Still grasping Ryu by the ankle, the old demon laughed as he effortlessly lifted his young opponent into the air and slammed him back down into the ruins of the rooftop surface. Gouki repeated this until the young pup looked to be unconscious. Truth was, Ryu could barely move. His body was battered, bloody and broken.

"This cannot be all the power you posses, boy!" the demon roared as he relinquished his hold, dropping Ryu to what was left of the roof's surface.

"..._ugh_..." the young demon groaned weakly.

Gouki was disgusted by Ryu's weakness. He watched silently as the rain washed the blood down the young fighter's face. The older demon grew angry and snatched the bloody whelp up by the neck, lifting him into the air, his back facing him.

"Pathetic little wretch...**I had such high hopes for you!**" Gouki spat, his words dripping with disgust.

"You finally awaken, and **this**, is all the power you have?" the old demon continued indignantly as he began to strike at Ryu's back.

"**Pathetic**!" Gouki roared, as he mercilessly thrusted his fist into his helpless opponent's spine.

The demon snorted as he tossed the defeated warrior to the side. Ryu could barely breathe as his eyes struggled open, only to see Gouki looking over his shoulder, back at him. The two warriors stared at each other in silence. The young demon knew that, despite all his power, he could not defeat Shin Gouki. For he was the true demon. After a few moments, Ryu's eyes became heavy as the darkness covered him and he fell unconscious.

"Hmph." sneered the demon as he disappeared into the darkness of the cold, rainny night. Taking with him the sinister red hue as the dark sky returned to it's natural navy color.

* * *

><p>The Shin Osaka Hotel, the following morning...<p>

* * *

><p>All was still. Serene. The the warm morning sun filtered into the room giving it a bright and welcoming orange hue. The light touched her fingertips and sent a warm sensation through her body as her beautiful brown eyes fluttered open. Time seemed to stand still. Chun Li stared silently at the ceiling as the reality of her circumstances washed over her. She was starting to feel sick again. The queezyness that had been plaguing her every morning for weeks now had returned. Slowly, the young Chinese woman crawled to her feet whle hoping the discomfort would subside. It did not, however, and she briskly made her way to the bathroom, one hand covering her mouth. A knock came at the door and in stepped her blonde American friend.<p>

"Hey, Chun! The door wasn't locked, are you okay?" inquired Ken, cautiously walking further into her room.

The young fighter surveyed the room, eying every shadowy corner, every possible hiding place that a certain Spaniard would lie in wait for his unsuspecting prey. Ken had heard from Guile about what happened to Chun Li two years ago, and wanted to make sure it never happened again. Not on his watch. After several moments passed by, Chun Li emerged from the bathroom, brushing fervently at her teeth. Ken sighed in relief as Chun Li made her way to her bags, still unpacked from the previous night, in the middle of the room.

"Good mor...I mean, Ohaio!" Ken grinned childishly upon seeing his friend in a slightly better mood than when they parted the previous night.

"Oh...Hey." said the young woman as she picked up a few articles of clothing and shimmied back to her bathroom, closing the door gently behing her.

"Okay, so, I thought we'd get breakfast and then start our search for Rose afterward. What do you think?" called Ken from behind the door.

Chun Li stuck her head out of the door to look at her American friend. While she appreciated the fact that Ken was trying to keep her spirits up, the fact remained, she needed to find the man she loved. Ken smiled gently at her as if he could read her thoughts. It was as if he was silently promising her that everything was going to be alright. She returned his smile.

"That sounds like...a..." the Inspector stammered as the discomfort in her stomach returned.

"H...hey, Chun Li, are you okay? You're not looking too good..." Ken said, his expression turning to worry.

Chun Li said nothing as she quickly turned toward the toilet and dropped to her knees in front of it. Ken watched in silence from the bathroom doorway as his friend heaved into the bowl. His eyes slowly widening at a sudden realization. At first he thought, maybe she ate something that didn't agree with her, but that thought was dismissed immediately as Chun Li turned around and found him staring at her. Her eyes widened with terror as she realized that she'd forgotten to close and lock the door behind her. Of course he'd think something was wrong and barge in without permission with the way she turned from him. Chun Li looked away from Ken's worried gaze.

"How long, Chun?" Ken inquired to his younger friend.

"I...I don't know what you're..."

"How long?" implored the American, interrupting the flustered Chinese woman.

Chun Li's eyes closed as her head hung low. Her hand moved slowly to her stomach as she begun to speak.

"I found out last month...that I'm...two months pregnant." she said as the tears began to fall.

Ken walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, thinking of nothing more than comforting his friend. Chun Li sobbed quietly into her companion's chest as he softly stroked her hair.

"Chun Li, even if I gotta beat the crap out of Ryu, I'm bringing him back." promised Ken, staring thoughtfully out of an opened window.

The young woman continued to weep softly as Ken held her tighter. After a few moments, a knock came at the door. Ken looked down at the still sobbing Chun Li, then looked back to the door.

"It's open!" Ken exclaimed to the unexpected visitor.

The door slowly opened and in walked a beautiful, curvy, woman. She wore a white blouse with a black business-like skirt with a slit on the left side, revealing a smooth milky thigh. The most noticeable thing about this woman was her strangely styled, violet hair. The woman looked between the two embracing friends for a moment and took a deep breath.

"ChunLi. Ken. It's good to see you both." said the woman, her voice calm and collected.

"Rose!" exclaimed Chun Li as Ken relinquished his hold on her.

"Where have you been? You really had us worried young lady!" Ken half joked as both women gave him a murderous glare.

"_Uh...I...I'll shut up now.._." gulped the blonde fighter, taking a seat on the bed.

"Did you have any luck finding Ryu?" Chun Li inquired hopefully.

"Chun Li..." Rose started. placing both hands on the younger woman's shoulders.

"I ...I found him, but..." she trailed off, thinking back to the monster she watched fight with Gouki.

Chun Li furrowed her brow as she watched the older woman's expression. She could see pure terror in Rose's eyes. Terror...and something else. The Chinese woman couldn't quite place the other emotion she was seeing.

"Rose. Please!" implored Chun Li, apparently getting impatient.

The older woman returned to her senses upon hearing the irritability in the younger woman's voice. Dismissing the thoughts of the terrible battle, Rose continued.

"...I know where he is, but we have to hurry. Before I returned to my physical body, the local authorities had started to show up in great numbers."

"Finally..." breathed Chun Li, hope filling her very being.

"Hey Chun, finish your morning stuff and meet us downstairs. We'll be waiting in the car out front." Ken suggested, walking toward the door, Rose following close behind.

"Right..." nodded Chun Li as she ran back to the bathroom to finish getting ready.

Rose and Ken walked out of the door and down the hall to the elevator. Ken pressed the call button and folded his arms. Rose stood silently beside Ken as they waited for the elevator.

"So, you gonna tell us what happened with Ryu and Gouki, or what?" inquired the young American.

"You didn't watch the news last night?" retorted Rose, raising an eyebrow.

"Never do." smiled Ken.

"Well then, my friend, you will see when we get there." the woman said as the elevator finally arrived.

Both warriors stepped inside the vacant elevator. Ken pressed the 1st floor button and the doors closed slowly. Before the doors closed however, a slender hand stopped them from closing completely. Both fighter's eyes widened when the doors fully re-opened. Standing before them was someone they had never thought they would see. A young Korean girl with dark hair, horn-like pigtails on either side of her head, adorned with pink ribbons, wearing a pink and white halter top, black tight fitting jeans and stylish white high heels. The girl smiled evilly at the surprised pair and licked her lips.

"Surprise." she said nonchalantly as her left eye started to glow.

"Juri!" exclaimed both fighters simultaneously.

"Aww, you remembered my name." Juri smiled innocently. However, that smile grew wicked as she continued."...How sweet..."

Both Ken and Rose went into their battle stances as Juri stood menacingly in front of them. Her purple aura began to flare wildly as it engulfed her. Placing her hands on her hips, the young Korean girl laughed and stepped inside the elevator, the doors slowly closing behind her.


	6. A Voice From Within

Diclaimer: I do not own Street Fighter or anything related to it...There! I said it!

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><p>Chapter Six: A Voice From Within<p>

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><p>Deep within the dark recesses of his mind, a memory echoes through his shattered subconscious...<p>

A light wind blew playfully past him as he inhaled slowly, closing his eyes. The ends of his white hachimaki were gently tossed by the breeze as he sensed the aura of the one he'd been waiting for. He turned to face the person who, in turn, frowned insipidly at him. Her hazelnut colored hair was braided into two ox-horns, adorned with yellow ribbons on either side of her head. Her light brown eyes sparkled as the sun's light seemed to compliment their beauty. The young man could only stare in awe as she gracefully made her way up to him. The two fighters now stood four feet from one another other. The young girl put a hand on her hip and sighed.

"Was there a specific reason you asked me here, or are you just going to stare all day?" said the girl, rolling her eyes.

"Your ki manipulation." the young man said simply.

"My...ki manipulation?" the young Chinese girl repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"You could draw out so much more power if you would just let go of that anger." the slightly older fighter spoke softly as if he were talking to a child.

"H...How dare you!" snapped the girl, clenching her fists.

The girl's aura flared into a light blue flame which enveloped her body as she entered her battle stance. The boy seemed amused at how easily it was to rouse the Chinese fighter's temper. She had so much anger inside of her. So much hatred. Without warning, she dashed for the boy. She moved with more speed than the boy had ever seen before. Closing the distance in an instant, the girl threw a two punch combo, which the boy blocked, then a roundhouse which connected with the boy's cheek. The boy spiraled toward the ground but, shot his arm downward to keep himself from falling. Not waiting for her opponent to recover, the girl launched herself toward the boy with inhuman speed. The boy was caught off guard with an opened palm strike to the chest, which sent him reeling backward. The Chinese girl pressed the attack with a backward foot-sweep, sending the boy crashing to the grass covered ground. The boy rolled backward, narrowly avoiding an ax kick, which destroyed the patch of earth his chest had just been occupying. The girl dashed toward him again, not wanting to lose the advantage. Gathering energy into her legs, the girl kicked at the boy with incredible speed. The boy threw his guard up, but it was too late. He was hit in the face, chest, and abdomen repeatedly. The girl screamed in rage as she kicked the boy again and again and again. Another kick to the face sent the boy reeling backward. Taking that as a sign to finish it, the Chinese fighter went in for an upward thrust kick. However, when she turned to gather momentum, the boy grabbed her from behind, locking his arms tightly around her.

"Hahahahahah! You were careless!" laughed the boy, seemingly unfazed by the girls attack.

"B...but how? You were..." the girl stammered as the boy tightened his hold on her.

"_Let it go_." the boy whispered into the girls ear as she struggled to free herself.

"Shut up!" snapped the girl as she did all she could to break the boy's hold.

"Listen. That hatred you're carrying? It clouds your focus. It will destroy you if you let it. " the boy whispered softly into the girl's ear again.

"Shut up! Shut up!** Shut Uuup!**" screamed the girl as she began to cry.

The Chinese girl sobbed aloud as the boy continued to hold her. The boy loosened his hold on the girl who threw herself into his chest, almost knocking him over. The girl continued to sob as she pounded her fist into his chest.

"You say let it go? How can I while my father's killer lives?" sobbed the girl, her voice trembling with sorrow.

"..." the boy said nothing.

"You could never understand my feelings! You've never felt the pain I carry within me!" the girl continued.

"I know much about the sorrow you carry on your shoulders..." the boy said solemnly.

The girl quieted her crying and peered intently at the boy. Their eyes met for the first time since she had arrived. She could see within the boy's dark, focused eyes a pain that seemed all too familiar. Time seemed to stand still as the two young warriors stared intently into one anothers eyes. Relinquishing his hold on her, the boy dropped his arms from around the girl and moved silently behind her.

"Alright now. Focus on nothing more than your breathing." said the boy from behind her.

The Chinese girl stood in silence. After a few moments, she wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

"Like...this?" inhaled the girl, taking her stance once again.

"Hmm...You're too tense...Relax. Feel the force of your energy from within. Let it rush through you." said the boy, taking his stance next to her.

The boy's aura slowly enveloped him in white-ish blue light. Though it was calm, it overwhelmed the girl as she stared in awe at the power of this Japanese boy. His ki energy swirled around him like a wind that could be seen.

"Concentrate." said the boy.

"Right." nodded the girl, again taking her stance.

"You have so much power within you. It'd be a shame if you let hatred corrupt that power." smiled the boy with closed eyes.

The girl closed her eyes. A light wind gently toyed with her bangs as she focused on her breathing. Inhale. Exhale. She repeated this several times. After a few moments of silence, the girl's eyes snapped open. She could feel an immense build-up of pressure in her middle. What is this? Is it my power? What should I do with it? The girl began to panic as the pressure continued to grow. Her muscles tensed and she fearfully looked over to the boy who simply smiled at her. She had never attempted to bring forth this much energy before. The girl didn't even know she could.

"H...Hey! What do I do?" panicked the girl.

"You have to release it! It's your power! Don't be afraid of it!" replied the boy as he made his way behind her.

The girl's eyes widened as she channeled all of the building ki into her hands. The fear slowly melted away as the boy grabbed her arms from behind. The girl felt her knees weaken from the way he gently positioned her hands in front of her. His left hand moved to her hip as he used his feet to reposition her own. He would use his body to keep her steady and should the worst come to pass, he would be close enough to shield her from harming herself with her own power.

"Release it! Now!' ordered the boy, bracing himself and the Chinese girl.

The girl thrust her palms forward and the two young fighters were engulfed by an enormous blue sphere of energy. The intense light caused the girl to shut her eyes yet she was not afraid. Not as long as she could feel the boy's arms wrapped around her. After an intense few moments, the energy had finally died down, leaving the two warriors in the middle of a huge crater. The girl collapsed from exhaustion after using such a large amount of energy. She half expected the boy to let her fall but he did not. He picked her up and carried her out of the crater, set her gently on a soft patch of grass and sat down next to her.

" Always focus on the opponent in front of you. Not the one behind you." said the boy, staring off into the distance.

Without turning to him, the Chinese girl stared silently at the boy. Just who was he? How did he have such a vast understanding of ki manipulation? Even the greatest masters had taken years to perfect what he had taught her in just minutes.

"What's your name, by the way?" inquired the boy, returning his eyes to her.

The girl looked at the boy for a few moments. How could they go through all of that without even introducing themselves? The girl found herself amused by the Japanese boy's sudden interest in introductions. She smiled devilishly at the boy.

"Give me your name and I'll give you mine." teased the beautiful Chinese girl, leaning back on her hands, poking her chest out.

"Oh...uh...I'm Ryu." replied the boy, blushing profusely.

"Ryu." the girl repeated as she tried to stand.

Ryu could clearly see the girl had not regained her strength yet. He watched silently at her stubborn attempts to get to her feet, which led her to falling on top of him. The Japanese fighter's eyes widened at the feel of her soft mounds suddenly pressing against his chest. They lay in silence as the playful wind returned, blowing the the girl's yellow ribbons and loose strands of her hair into Ryu's face. The young Japanese warrior had never been this close to a girl before, at least, not when he wasn't in the midst of battle with a fellow fighter of the opposite gender. He breathed in the lavender scent of her hair as he noticed a slight change in his lower region. Why wasn't the girl moving? Hadn't she noticed the sudden bulge pressing against her inner thigh? Sweat began to trail down the wanderer's brow as he looked down at the girl's unmoving form. Just then, as if to answer the questions in his mind, she looked up at him and into his eyes.

"My name is...Chun Li." she finally said.

* * *

><p>The Shin Osaka Hotel, Room 303...<p>

Chun Li had just finished brushing her hair as she set her hairbrush onto the small nightstand by the side of her bed. She had decided to wear her hair down today as it would take longer to braid and bun like usual. That took time she couldn't afford to waste. The Chinese woman took a glance in a mirror, admiring her handiwork. Chun Li never really thought much of her appearance and when she thought back to how men would persistently pursue her, her thoughts would always return to the only man that saw past her appearance.

"Ignored me for six years is more like it..." the Chinese woman thought aloud as she stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her.

She and Ryu had been playing cat and mouse for six years. She'd try to talk to him about moving on and relationships and he would always space out or stammer through the conversation, not really knowing how to respond. Chun Li smiled at how cute Ryu was when he was embarrassed. She thought back to an answer he had given her long ago. 'To be honest Chun Li, I've never thought about life after the fight', he'd said as he peered into her eyes, touching her very soul. That was the moment when she resolved to tell him of her true feelings for him. Suddenly, something broke Chun Li of her thoughts as she neared the elevator sensed a very distinct aura from one of the arriving elevators. Her eyes widened as the doors slowly opened.

There alone stood a blond girl with two long pigtails reaching past her hips. She wore a red leather vest, zipped half way to expose a subtle bit of cleavage. The left end was long and reached down to her ankle while the right side stopped at her belt. Red gauntlets trimmed in silver were tightly fitted on her soft, feminine hands. Her black boots ran up to just under her knees and were completed by the silver guard plates attached to them.

"Hello Inspector Xiang." said the new comer in a light English accent.

"Cammy?" the Chinese Inspector exclaimed , raising an eyebrow.

"Heh. Not quite... " responded the girl with a Cheshire like grin.

Chun Li narrowed her eyes at the girl as she stepped out of the elevator. This definately was Cammy's aura but it was different somehow. It felt sick, twisted. The pigtailed girl had such an evil aura that it distorted the air around her. Chun Li's eyes widened again as the realization of why the evil ki felt so familiar yet forien to her.

"**Bison?**" she yelped as she lept back to put distance between them.

"Hahahahahaha! Figured it out did you? Such an intelligent little bitch!" laughed the smaller woman.

"B...but how? I saw you die!" the terrified Interpol agent exclaimed.

Bison laughed at the expression on the woman's face. Her shock was enough to make him quiver with excitement as he took another step forward.

"I see you've already forgotten?" the English girl spoke.

"Forgotten what, you pig?" Chun Li spat.

"Hmhmhmhmhm. Cammy's true purpose? The reason for her existence?" taunted the sinister warlord.

"**Bastard**! What have you done to her?" snarled the now furious Chun Li, clenching her fists.

"Why, I'm merely helping Cammy fulfill her proverbial destiny, of course." Bison replied sarcastically, taking another foreboding step toward the pregnant Chinese woman.

Taking a deep breath, Chun Li narrowed her eyes and went into her battle stance. The girl in front of her was not Cammy. It was in fact, Bison, the man who killed her father and ruined her life. No! It wasn't just her life he destroyed. This...**thing**...had destroyed countless lives and will continue to do so for as long as it exists. Bison took another step toward her, daring her to attack.

"You've always wanted to kill me, little girl..." the English girl said, taking another step foward.

"...Now's your chance." Bison/Cammy continued as she took another step.

Chun Li's former friend took another step forward, grinning evilly as the Interpol agent cautiously backed away. The Chinese woman feared for the life growing inside of her and she knew there was no way in hell that she'd be walking away from this fight unscathed. Chun Li wracked her brain trying to come up with some sort of plan of attack or escape. She wished her friends were there but, they had already exited the hotel and were waiting outside for her. Suddenly, just past the abomination that was once her friend, the desperate Chinese woman thought she saw a small boy smiling at her. He wore an expression of serenity and confidence as he looked past Bison and directly at her.

"Why do you hesitate?" the blonde girl inquired, her Cheshire like grin widening slightly.

"_Don't be afraid..._" the mysterious boy said without moving his lips.

Chun Li opened her mouth to speak but, nothing came out. Just then, the pigtailed girl lunged toward the Interpol agent with blinding speed, instantly closing the distance between them. Within a split second the mysterious boy had appeared in front of the now bewildered Chinese woman, seemingly coming to her defense, stopping the possessed Cammy dead in her tracks.

"_Don't be afraid..._" repeated the boy without looking back.

Chun Li peered down at the boy. She couldn't quite place it but, something about him seemed oddly familiar. His hair was unkempt and about the same color as hers, only a shade darker. If not for the color and length of his hair, which hung well passed his neck, he would be the spitting image of the man she loved.

"_I can hold him here. You should go, your friends need you._" the boy said, his voice barely a whisper in her mind.

"H...how are you doing that?" Chun Li inquired with a look of awe.

The boy said nothing more as he walked toward the agent's former friend. Cammy looked down at the boy for the first time, her eyes full of malice.

"_You can see me?_ Good." the mysterious boy said with a smile.

Bison/Cammy stared silently at the boy. He knew this child was nothing more than a mere apparition, yet sensed that if he made a hostile move toward Chun Li, he would probably regret it. This boy was generating enough power to rival both his psycho power and the Satsui no Hadou.

"What are you, boy?" asked Bison with Cammy's voice.

The boy's eyes looked back to see the pregnant Interpol agent move through the exit doors to the stairs of the hotel.

"_I could ask you the same thing._" the boy said with a condescending smile.

"I will find her again, just so you know!" the warlord exclaimed.

"_Yes, but you will not harm her_." said the boy, his smile fading.

"_You and I are destined to fight. It's inescapable. We will fight...and one of us will die._" continued the boy as he turned his back on the possessed woman.

Bison stood still and watched the boy's form dissipate into nothing. After a few moments, he closed his eyes and ruminated over what the spirit of the boy had told him.

"So, I'm destined to fight that child? How interesting." laughed the dictator in Cammy's voice.

What he trully wanted to know was, where did the boy come from? Why was he protecting Chun Li? If Bison was going to use her to lure out Ryu, he needed to find some way to get past that spirit.

"Hmph." grunted the possessed girl as she turned and walked toward the elevator she had come out of.

"A minor set back." Cammy sighed, entered the elevator, folded her arms and patiently waited for the the doors to close.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Inside Elevator # 4...<p>

Ken threw several swift punches at Juri, which she easily blocked as Rose sent an opened palm strike to her mid-section. The Korean girl blocked the palm strike with her knee and, with the same leg, kicked Rose across the cheek, sending her staggering into the elevator wall behind Ken. There wasn't much room to maneuver in the elevator so neither warrior could use any of their techniques to aid in this close quarters fight. Ken tried for a high feint low combo kick but Juri was prepared for it. She dodged the feint and countered with an upward thrust kick, hitting Ken square in the chin, which sent him face first through the elevator ceiling, crashing moments later to the floor.

"**Ken!**" exclaimed Rose as she and the younger girl began exchanging fists.

"You should probably worry about yourself, **bitch!**" Juri threatened, dodging and blocking all of the psychic's attacks.

The blonde fighter slowly got to his feet, using the closest wall to aid him in standing. Ken shook his head to rid himself of the dizzy spell as his blurry sight returned to normal just in time to see his friend receive a knee to the abdomen and an elbow to the face. Then, while still falling, the Korean girl slammed her other knee into the older woman's temple causing Rose to crumple to the floor, unconscious.

"**Rose!**" the blonde warrior called out to his friend as she lay motionless on the elevator floor.

"Are we having fun yet, or what?" taunted Juri, licking her lips at the American fighter.

"Is there a name for your particular brand of crazy?" Ken joked, going into his battle stance and clenching his jaw.

The two warriors began to exchange blows. Juri threw several lighting fast kicks at the American's head and abdomen, which he narrowly dodged. Ken was starting to get desperate now. He had heard from Chun Li about the Korean girl's speed and skill, but had thought maybe his Chinese friend was losing her touch.

"Chun wasn't exaggerating when she said this crazy broad could fight..." Ken thought to himself, allowing a small smile to creep across his face.

"That's it. Now you're getting into the spirit, baby." Juri teased, licking her lips again.

Ken closed his eyes and started to channel his ki into his hands. The Korean girl smiled at this as she placed a hand on her hip, waiting for the older fighter to fire off one of those little projectile techniques. She thought it rather interesting that the American would use hadou in such an enclosed space. Did he not think of his friend's safety? All the better if he didn't, she thought. Suddenly, Ken's fiery aura flared like an angry inferno! His muscle mass seemed to have doubled as well. Juri narrowed her eyes as her opponent tightened his stance and clenched his jaw.

"**Alright! Kick gloves are off!**" declared the blonde fighter as he lunged toward Juri with more speed than she believed the American had.

The Korean girl was caught off guard as Ken's fists moved with incredible speed. He was now tapping into the hidden technique Ryu developed during his fight with Bison four years ago. He called it 'the Kaji Uchinaru technique' (Uncontrolled Fire Within). This technique releases all of the user's ki and distributes it evenly through the body, increasing the overall speed and power of the practitioner a hundred fold. The only drawback to this technique is it can only be maintained for a short period of time and usually leaves the practitioner physically drained. Ken knew of this flaw and hoped the fight would end before that happened. Another exchange of fists was made and this time, the American quickly gained the upper hand. Juri blocked and narrowly dodged the lightning fast punches that Ken threw at her. Ken threw a left straight, which the young girl blocked but was caught across the cheek with a right hook. Juri staggered back a bit as the blonde warrior pressed the momentary advantage. He sent a rain of punches into the Korean girl as her back slammed against the elevator doors. Juri was hit several times in the chest, abdomen and face with the force of Ken's own ki energy behind each crushing blow. After a few more strikes, the blonde fighter spun backwards into the air and, with all his might, thrust his back leg forward, smashing his heel into Juri's face. The younger fighter was sent head first through the elevator doors, through the lobby and into the receptionist's desk, where she lay there motionless.

Ken collapsed to the elevator floor as his aura finally died down. On all fours, the blond fighter gasped for air, hoping that put her down for the count. Even if it didn't, he wasn't in any shape to do much about it.

"_Hope...I never...have to do...that again..._"he joked, huffing for breath between his words.

Just then, Ken's eyes widened at a sudden rush of energy heading his way. The American fighter looked over at Rose, who was just recovering, as she nodded in acknowledgment at the powerful aura headed straight for them.

"_This...could be a problem..._" Ken huffed, still exhausted from the physically draining technique.

"Wait..." Rose softly said as she began to recognize the aura closing in on them.

"H...Hey! Are you guys alright?" inquired an all too familiar voice.

Both Ken and Rose looked up to see the worried expression on the beautiful face of a Chinese woman. The exhausted blonde sighed in relief as his friend helped him get to his feet. She looked over at the other woman as she slowly got to her feet as well.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Chun Li questioned, her concern growing even more.

"_To be blunt, we got beat up..._" joked Ken, still breathing heavily.

"That girl, Juri, you couldn't sense her ki?" Rose inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Chun Li did not hide her surprised expression. How could Juri Han have found them here? Could she be working with Bison? No! That was impossible! She hated that man, or whatever he'd become, just as much as she did.

"Juri isn't the only problem we have." the Chinese woman admitted.

"What do you mean, Chun?" Ken asked, his weariness somewhat wearing off.

"I...it's B..."

"It's nothing to be concerned with at the moment." Rose interrupted, giving the younger woman a silencing stare.

Ken looked between the two women as they exchanged worried glances. Though he didn't know what was going on, he would never question Rose's judgment. Not after the events that took plae just months ago.

"Alright, if you say so..." the blonde fighter hesitantly conceded.

"Inspector, you should hurry and question the girl before..." Rose trailed off.

Her eyes widened as she sensed the 'other' presence she had sensed earlier. The sick and twisted aura had been watching but was now gone.

"So...She couldn't escape her horrible fate." Rose thought to herself.

Chun Li had left the injured and exhausted Ken seated in the main lobby while she investigated the wreckage of the decimated remains of the reception desk. She folded her arms and sighed heavily. If only she had gotten here sooner, she could have kicked that arrogant bitch's ass and got her talking. Just then, she caught a glimpse of what looked to be the Korean girl getting inside a sleek, black sedan from the lobby entrance door. The Interpol agent rushed as quickly as she could to get outside just in time to see the car pull off.

"Go. I can look after Ken." whispered Rose into Chun Li's mind.

"But, what about Ryu?" the younger woman whispered back, a little startled from the sudden invasion of her thoughts.

"Ken and I will follow up on the leads I have. We'll meet up with you here later." Rose replied.

Chun Li didn't give it a second thought as she began to channel her ki into her legs. She wanted nothing more than to find Ryu but, there was no way she could ever turn her back on Bison.

"Alright, I'll leave things to you." said the Chinese woman with a smile as she took off in a hurricane of ki energy and wind.

Rose nodded inward as she watched the young agent take off after the black sedan. She walked silently over to Ken, who she believed to be asleep from over exertion, but found him wide awake and staring blankly at where his friend just stood.

"So, she took off after them, huh?' inquired Ken from his seated position.

"She'll be fine. Let's get you patched up so we can search for Ryu." Rose reassured.

"Yeah...(Good luck, Chun.)" the young man thought to himself as Rose began using her soul energy to heal his wounds.


End file.
